As far as Super Bowls went this one was pretty good even though early on it looked as if the Ravens were going to run away with it, especially after Jacobi Jones went through the Niner’s kick coverage team like a hot knife through butter.
But San Francisco chipped away at the lead courtesy of Colin Kaepernick’s arm and legs, along with a defence which figured it might as well join the party on the field.
In the end though the Ravens held on for the 34-31 win and Super Bowl number two for the franchise.
Joe Flacco was named the game’s MVP but you could have easily given it to Jones for his return prowess and catching a long touchdown pass.
But good for Flacco as he can now rip off the label hanging from his jersey which said he couldn’t win the big one.
How could a guy from that NCAA QB powerhouse, the University of Delaware lead a team to a win on the biggest stage?
He wasn’t flashy but he was certainly efficient and there were a couple of fortunate catches made on passes tossed up with a prayer attached but that’s how the game goes sometimes. You do need a certain measure of good fortune in order to defy the odds.
The Ravens were a beat up old bunch but they still had enough left in the tank to keep a dangerous opponent in check and I feel if the tables had been turned and the Niner’s got off to the fast start, this would be a much different column.
I do wonder what San Francisco’s Jim Harbaugh was thinking when he had his team poised for a win and had his fleet footed quarterback toss a couple of passes which had no chance of being caught.
We can all be arm chair quarterbacks without any reprisal but not allowing him to send shivers through the Ravens defence by using the option was a puzzler in my mind.
This was like reining in Secretariat around the clubhouse turn. It was like telling Usain Bolt to gear down to first at 85m. Would you tell Babe Ruth to bunt? Would you sit Wayne Gretzky in a shootout at the Olympics? Ok, that was already done but you get my point.
There is always a risk of measure in any game but the only sure thing from this one was J. Harbaugh was going to be on the winning team.
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